Moonlight Serenade
by Gwenyfith Gauthier
Summary: Mamoru has insulted Usagi's odangoedmane for the last time! Oneshot. Please R&R.


She ran. She ran as fast as she could, faster than she ever thought her petite body could carry her, out of the Crown Arcade, down the streets, and into the park. She found her spot in the rose gardens and sat on the familiar wooden bench. It was late afternoon and the deserting sun was already grazing the horizon. The sky bled oranges and pinks that highlighted the glistening tears that slid defiantly down the cheeks of one Usagi Tsukino.

A boy, a man, an excruciatingly beautiful man had once again teased her to the breaking point. "Why do I have to love that baka?" she whispered to herself, sobbing loudly. "He's not worth it," she lied, even louder. She was alone in the park and sat crying for over two hours.

She suddenly opened her eyes to realize that it was night. The sky was dark like pitch, but the tiny twinkling crystals that dotted it kept it from being frightening to the girl.

Mamoru rose to his feet and ran after his precious Odango. He stopped outside, looking left and right. "Damnit!" He knew he'd taken his jests too far this time. He had made Usagi's beautiful hair the focus of today's teasing-fest. He loved the girl deeply, but every time he opened his mouth around her, all that came out were insults and mockery. Their fights were famous, but today, he had screwed up.

Today was the day he planned to confess his feelings for her, get his heart broken, and be donw with it. However, the loving revelation never came; instead he had managed to put Usagi in such a state that she didn't even glare at him or squeal that sweetly unique squeal; she was hurt too badly to scream or throw things. She had simply teared up and silently run from him.

He ran, amazed at his own stamina, to Usagi's house, to the shrine, back to the Crown (just in case), all over town for over two hours. It was now completely dark outside, but he had one place left to search. He ran to through the park to the rose gardens - Usagi adored roses and he thought maybe, just maybe she would be there. He was right. Had he any breath left, he would have sighed deep and loud as a wave of relief washed over him at the sight of a pair of blond odangos peaked over slumped shoulders on a bench ahead of him. He wanted to yell her name, run to her, but his knees were weak and she was in plain sight, so he leaned against a tree and watched her while he regained himself.

Usagi was in awe as she saw the way the full moon shined its light over the rose bushes and across the grass, making the dark green, almost black, into a sea of silver. She reached into her pocket and pulled out a precious treasure, a locket she'd found as a child. She opened it and let the charming song that tugged at her like some distant memory raise into the night.

Usagi fell into a sort of trance. She pulled and let loose her once-beloved ponytails; her luxuriously long, silky, yellow hair cascaded down her back like a lion's mane. She found herself dancing in the grassy ocean before her. She closed her eyes and tried desperately not to think of Mamoru as she let the familiar tinkling tune cast a spell over her.

Mamoru stared in surprise as Usagi abandoned her special hairstyle. "No," he breathed - this was all his fault; the last thing he wanted in the world was to make his Usako change anything about herself. He stood straight and stopped as she began to dance. His mouth dropped open slightly and his breathe caught, now because of the way the gorgeous young lady glowed as the hoary moonbeams silhouetted her lithe form. 'I didn't know Usako could dance,' he thought.

But there she was, swaying expertly in the cool air, dancing for no apparent reason. He walked cautiously toward her. "What compelled her to-" That's when he heard it, the second sweetest sound he'd ever been privileged to in his life (the first being his Usako's laughter). He smiled. It was so beautiful, so familiar, but he couldn't place it. The scene before him was so stunning that he sneaked quietly over and slipped into the dancer's arms.

Usagi felt strong, warm arms snake around her waist. She didn't open her eyes. She felt safe in whoever's arms held her. 'Am I imagining this?' She pretended that the arms belonged to the man she loved, the man she was certain hated her, Mamoru Chiba. "Oh, Mamo-chan," she found herself whispering to the stranger. And they danced.

Mamoru was glad and surprised that Usagi didn't open her eyes; she seemed to know and trust who held her. After a few minutes that same thought then gave him a sudden pang of jealousy, 'What if she's imagining someone else.' He frowned and stopped them.

She was held still, the dancing stopped, the music stopped. She was jolted out of her reverie.

"Odango?" came a tentative whisper.

'No way!' Usagi just smiled and opened her big blue eyes.

Mamoru instinctively smirked at the sight of that cherished smile. "What were you doing?"

"I could ask you the same," she replied. "What are you doing here, baka?" There was no scorn in her soft voice.

His signature smirk faded as he remembered why he had sprinted all over town in the first place. He sighed, "I came to apologize, Odango."

She frowned, "That's not a very good way to start."

'Damn. Why can't I just be nice to her? I don't know if I can afford to screw up again.' "Usagi," She grinned widely to have her real name coming from his lips. "Usagi, I'm sorry for earlier." He took her hand and brushed some hair out of her eyes, "I think your Odangoes are cute."

"Really?"

Her face was so comically shocked that he laughed.

Usagi took this to mean he was joking and turned to storm off. Mamoru quickly realized his mistake and caught her arm. He spun her back toward him and captured her lips in a brief, searing kiss, praying she wouldn't slap him as he stepped back and looked down into her eyes.

Usagi's fingers reached up to her lips. She stepped back and shook her head like she'd been burned. 'I don't understand - he hates me. He couldn't…like me back? Mamoru's heart hurt at her expression, but he stepped toward her carefully. Maybe he could explain and get her to not hate him forever. He knew that it was her first kiss and, by the look on her face, felt sure she wasn't happy that it was wasted on a baka like him. He felt guilty and put his hand on her cheek.

"Why would you-? I don't get it." She shook her head again fiercely. "You hate me!"

"Never, Usako." Mamoru paused and dropped his hand. "I love you; I've always loved you." A tear rolled down Usagi's cheak. 'You're making it worse, you idiot!' "Wait, Usagi, don't cry." He stepped back.

Usagi jumped into his arms and kissed him with intensity. Mamoru's eyes widened, then closed. Rapture clouded his mind as he held her to him and deepened the kiss like there was no tomorrow.

Eventually they had to breathe and parted. Usagi inhaled and blushed; Mamoru just smiled, "I assume this means-"

"I love you too, Mamo-chan!" The girl blirted before hugging him.

"Mamo-chan?" He repeated with a near-laugh.

She buried an embarrassed face into his chest. She pulled back and looked up at him, "Sorry, I just-"

He kissed her softly, "I like it, Usako." She blushed again, a deep crimson.

The confused look returned to her face, "How long-"

He knew what she meant, "Since the moment I met you."

Usagi groaned loudly, "We're idiots!"

Mamoru chuckled in agreement and proceeded to walk her home.

After about 10 minutes of making out in front of Usagi's house, Mamoru stopped her from going in. "Say, Usagi. Do you want to go out with me for breakfast tomorrow morning?"

It was Usagi's turn to smirk, "I'm just so wonderful, you can only wait a few hours to see me again?"

Mamoru kissed her on the forehead, "We have five months and 13 days of lost time to make up for." He leaned down to whisper into her ear, "By the way, despite the fact that you look like a goddess no matter what, I really do like your old hairstyle." He pulled back and walked away, leaving a pleasantly stunned girl behind. Then, he couldn't help himself, Mamoru stopped and without looking back shouted, "See you later, Odango!" and ran off before she could yell at him.

Little did he know, now the nickname didn't seem a bad thing to Usagi at all (though she preferred Usako). It had been his secret symbol of his love for her all along, for five months and 13 days to be exact. "Stalker, _I_ didn't even keep count." She said, giggling, before entering her house.


End file.
